Influence of Sociodemographic Factors, and the Coverage and Offer of Health Services on Mortality Due to Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer in Brazil: A 20-year Analysis

Abstract

Background: To investigate the influence of sociodemographic factors and variables related to oral health services in oral and oropharyngeal cancer mortality in Brazil. Results: The mortality rate was higher in men than in women; the Southeast and South regions had the highest rates, which increased with age. Regarding APC analysis, men aged 57 years or more and those born from the 1920s to 1955, presented the highest mortality rate, while women born between the 1920s and the 1930s had a higher rate ratio. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression showed that black men living in the Midwest region had the lowest survival rate. Considering the correlations, the North and Northeast regions presented mortality rates inversely proportional to FPDC and NSTB, while the Southeast presented it only to FPDC. Conclusions: The sociodemographic variables analyzed exhibited an influence on mortality and survival rates in relation to oral and oropharyngeal cancer. Regarding the oral health services, it was observed that preventive and diagnostic procedures are not being performed, which may be exacerbating the increase in the mortality rates observed.